Autumn Festival
by Ookami Kasumi
Summary: Naruto / During his two and a half year training mission with Master Jiraiya the toad sage, Naruto learns a bittersweet lesson in love. N x OC Yaoi COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Autumn Festival 1  
**_A_**Naruto**_Fan-Fiction_ by Ookami Kasumi

'**Naruto'** characters, terms, and locations property of**Masashi Kishimoto****. **

_**Summery:**_During his two and a half year training mission with Master Jiraiya the toad sage, Naruto learns a bittersweet lesson in love. (N x OC)

_**Warning:**_Mature (NC-17) - Hard yaoi content, adult language**  
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* * *

_**One**_

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* * *

**_Naruto stepped out of the shower in the tiny bathroom, steam rising from his tanned skin. He grabbed one of the nubby white towels from the bar over the toilet and scrubbed at his rather overlong sun-bleached blond hair. With Jiraiya's hair being almost to his butt, his master hadn't seen the need for Naruto to cut his, so it had grown into a somewhat shaggy mop that hung well past his shoulders.

After scrubbing the water from his body, he glanced in the mirror over the sink. His eyes were their usual bright blue. There was no trace of red from the demon that lived within him. He smiled tightly. _Good._ One less thing to worry about.

He tilted his head from side to side, eyeing the three scars on either side of his face that went across his cheeks to his jaw. They had turned bright red from the heat of the shower. He brushed a finger across the puffy lines and wondered if he should use some of that greasepaint Jiraiya had given him to hide them. He shook his head briefly. _I'll worry about that when the pervert comes back._

He turned to look down at the pile of clothes he'd left on the floor. He'd grown so fast over the past year that his orange jumpsuit was little more than rags held together by badly stitched patches. Unfortunately, it was all he had left to wear, and it was filthy.

Rather than put his dirty clothes back on, he simply knotted the towel around his hips and gathered up the small pile with a sigh. _I hope Jiraiya remembers that he's supposed to come back with clothes for me. _Though the gods only knew what Jiraiya would come back with. _Hopefully something heavy-duty._ Winter was around the corner.

With their finances being rather low they'd come to the small town of Flute, nestled in the pine forested mountains of Timber Country with the hopes of finding work. However, the town was so small he somehow doubted they'd need the services of two wandering ninjas. That meant they'd be stuck doing a mundane job again. Naruto didn't quite groan in disappointment. Boring as mundane work was, it did make it easier to hide from the dangerous ninja group that was hunting him.

Carrying his small pile of clothes, he stepped out of the small bathroom and onto the dark gray, plush wool carpet that was spread across the entire floor of the slant-roofed, attic room they'd rented for their stay. Directly before him, a narrow table framed by two ladder back chairs sat under the room's only window. The white-washed left wall had a narrow counter with an electric hotplate and an electric kettle. The stained wood right wall was steeply sloped with two rolled up futons nestled in the crevice at the bottom. Their packs and Juraiya's heavy scrolls occupied the far right corner nearest the window.

The room wasn't large by anyone's standards but it was practically luxurious compared to some of the places they'd stayed. Naruto snorted. _It beats a leaky tent._

Naruto strode over to the left side of the table and set his clothes on the chair, then peeked out the window at the small town of Flute. Nestled among the towering pines that covered nearly all of Timber Country, the town was quaint, semi modern, and crammed with tall wooden houses with tile roofs. The town was also riddled with creeks, brooks, and rivers. Just about every road and foot path had an arching red bridge. Above the town loomed the stark crags of Sleeping Troll Mountain wreathed in clouds that were streaked with the fiery red and orange of sunset.

Naruto looked down. The narrow street below glowed with thousands of red and yellow paper lanterns and was crammed with people. Brightly painted booths and carts lined the entire road. His brows lifted. "A festival?"

Behind him, the room's door slammed open. "Happy birthday!"

Naruto turned to stare at the tall white haired man dressed in gray and white whose head nearly brushed the low ceiling. "Huh?"

Jiraiya lifted a brow and snorted, but his smile lifted the red streaks that ran from each eye down each cheek like tears of blood. "When was the last time you looked at a calendar kid?" He kicked off his sandals at the door and strode into the room, his feet soundless on the carpet. Under each arm was a paper-wrapped bundle.

Naruto looked away frowning. The autumn equinox _was_ a few weeks ago… "Is it, really my birthday?"

"Yup!" Jiraiya dropped both bundles on the table. "Congratulations! You've finally reached the legal age to get drunk and get laid!"

Naruto flinched back. "You are _not_ dragging me into a brothel for my birthday!"

Jiraiya rolled his black eyes. "As_ if_ we could afford that?" He pushed one of the bundles across the table toward Naruto. "Naaa…" He tugged off his horned forehead protector marked with the symbol for oil, and scrubbed a hand through his matted hair. "I figured we'd go just down to the festival, get some decent food, drink some good _sake_, and watch the fireworks."

Naruto felt a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You're gonna get me drunk, is that it?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Yep!" He set the forehead protector on the table, then turned away to shrug out of his tattered white sleeveless_ juban_ over-robe. The emblems marking the shoulders, back, and hem were almost completely obscured by rips and grime. "And seeing as you're not used to drinking, a bottle or two of _sake_ at the most, it shouldn't be too hard on our finances." He tossed the robe toward their packs by the rolled up futons.

Naruto rolled his gaze heavenward. "Great, I'm a cheap date." He eyed the bundle on the table, then eyed his master. "So what's this?" He poked the paper-wrapped package.

Jiraiya looked over his shoulder and glanced down at the package. "_That_ is what you're wearing to the festival." He turned away, unbuckled his arm bracers, then started unwinding the cloth wrapped around his arms and shirt sleeves. "The other is what you'll be wearing to work tomorrow."

Naruto felt some of his worry evaporate and grinned widely. "You got us a job?"

"Yep!" Jiraiya tossed a grin over his shoulder, then turned back to yank off his gray cross-tied shirt, and the fish-net woven wire shirt he wore beneath it, showing off his heavily muscled and heavily scarred torso. "This is logging country. We're going to be cutting trees starting the day after tomorrow." He turned to toss his shirt and arm wraps in the general direction of their packs. "It'll give you a chance to build up some muscle." He turned back to stare pointedly at Naruto. "Though I doubt you need much help with that."

Naruto glanced down at his whipcord lean body. He winced. His muscles didn't look like muscles; they looked like wires. "I could use some bulk."

Jiraiya choked out a laugh. "Sure you do kid." He waved toward the package. "Put that on and right after my shower, we'll go down and get something to eat." Wearing only his loose gray pants and shin wraps, he strode for the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Moments later, the water went on in the shower.

Naruto tore the paper on the package open and pulled out a double fistful of deep blue heavy satin embroidered with bamboo branches in gold thread. It looked like a really fancy…bathrobe. A blue and gold sash slid free. He frowned at the empty paper then yelled toward the bathroom. "Hey, where are the pants for this?"

Jiraiya laughed loudly from behind the closed bathroom door. "You don't wear pants with that! Oh! And brush your hair too!"

Naruto scowled at the bathroom door! "You're one to talk about brushing hair, Shaggy! I've watched you tease that mop of yours until it stands straight up!"

"Not this time. I'll be brushing mine too! Don't want to scare the ladies."

Naruto rolled his eyes and huffed softly. "Pervert."

"I heard that!"

~ * * * ~

Standing in the doorway of the inn, Naruto looked up. Above the swaying pines, the sky was the rich deep blue of twilight. It was almost the same color as his ankle-length robe. It wasn't a bad color, as colors went, but he preferred brighter colors, sunset colors, the colors of fire and flames.

The evening breeze teased at his hair, encouraging his overlong golden bangs to brush against his cheeks. He ran his fingers through his hair, scraping it back from his face. He'd brushed it as asked, but the stuff was thick though silky. It didn't exactly bush up the way it normally did when it was shorter, but it didn't want to sit perfectly flat either.

A shimmer against his senses warned him that he was being approached from behind. He turned around.

His tall white-haired master was coming down the narrow inn stairs wearing a similar ankle-length robe, but of storm-cloud gray satin with white cranes embroidered on it. As usual, his footfalls were perfectly silent. He'd left his distinctive forehead protector back in the room, as had Naruto to keep up the appearance that they were merely civilians, and for once, his long white hair wasn't a matted white mess bound back into a ratty tail. He actually _had_ taken the time to brush it all out until it flowed sleek, fine, and unbound over his shoulders and down his back.

Naruto tugged at the robe's collar. "What did you call these again?"

Jiraiya, stepped past Naruto and out onto the cobblestone road. "They're called _yukata_. They're tradition wear for these kinds of festivals." He waved his hand and stepped forward. "This way. I found the perfect place to get some reasonably good food and decent _sake_ while I was out shopping."

Naruto fell into step beside him, trying very hard not to take too long a stride. His _yukata_ was only held together with two ties at his hips and a narrow sash knotted at his back. The bottom half had a tendency to gape open. He didn't want to flash too much thigh, or worse. He looked over at his master. "Are you _sure_ you're not supposed to wear anything under this?" He tugged at his robe.

Jiraiya shook his head. "Only a _fundoshi_."

Naruto blinked. "What's a _fundoshi_?"

Jiraiya stopped cold and turned to stare wide-eyed at Naruto. "You're not wearing a _fundoshi_?"

Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes. "Kind of hard to wear something when I don't even know what it is, don't you think?" He frowned up at his master. "Is it important?"

Jiraiya pursed his lips and tilted his head, his gaze drifting to stare at nothing in particular. Suddenly he turned and smiled down at Naruto. "Naaa… It's not important." He leaned down to speak softly. "Might even make your night a little more interesting!" He patted Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Huh?"

Jiraiya waved his hand. "Never mind!" He pointed down the street toward the bright lights and the music. "Food's that-a-way!" He marched on, leading Naruto into the heart of the town's autumn festival

Everywhere there was hauntingly beautiful music with heavy drums, costumed performers dancing, and antique marionette performances. Glowing lanterns gleamed on processions of monstrous gold and lacquer hand-carried floats. Troop after troop of musicians marched by in black satin caps and wide-sleeved, ground-sweeping robes of shimmering bright colored silks belted over flowing white hakima pants. The hand-carried wooden floats and laughing singing carolers moved along the bright red bridges crossing the many small rivers, the colors reflecting on the water.

Naruto stared openly. Just about everyone wore robes similar to his and Juraiya's. For once, he actually felt like he sort of fit in, except for one glaring difference. Not one person there was blond or blue-eyed. Just about every person he saw had dark hair and deep black eyes. He frowned. _They all look like Sasuke._

His heart clenched in sudden sorrow. He hadn't seen his best friend in almost three years, not since the day Sasuke had left -- after very nearly killing him.

Naruto took a deep breath and pushed his feelings down. This was not the time to be thinking such dark and depressing things. He lifted his chin and pasted a smile on his lips. It was his birthday, and Jiraiya was taking him out to celebrate!

After a bit of a walk in the cool night air, Jiraiya led Naruto to a long tented booth with stools. He waved to the man behind the counter in the tall white hat wearing a flowing white apron. "Hey! This is the young man I was telling you about!" He pointed at Naruto.

The booth's owner blinked down at Naruto. "Oh, so you're the birthday boy?"

Jiraiya dropped onto a stool and nodded. "He's finally reached majority!"

Naruto smiled at the booth owner. "That's me!" He climbed very carefully into the stool. He was still more than a little uncomfortable with the way the robe liked to flap open at unexpected moments.

Jiraiya patted Naruto's shoulder. "So, we'll have two house specials and two bottles of decent sake!"

The booth owner lifted one dark brow. "You're sure he's old enough? He looks a little…small."

Naruto threw a pout at the booth owner. "I am _not _small!"

Jiraiya nodded. "He's old enough." He leaned across the counter and whispered loudly. "Mature enough is a different question entirely!"

"Hey!" Naruto turned to punch Jiraiya lightly in the arm. "Look who's talking, you porn author!" He knew better than to use his usual title of _ero-sennin_ for the perverted sage ninja when he was playing civilian. However, using Jiraiya's notoriety as being the author of the erotic _Kiss-Kiss Paradise_ books was perfectly acceptable, as surprisingly few ninja knew.

The booth owner lifted his head from his bubbling pots and stared at Jiraiya. "Porn author?"

Jiraiya shot a sour look at Naruto. "_Erotica_ author." He leaned toward the booth owner and grinned. "Would you happen to be familiar with the _Kiss-Kiss Paradise_ books?"

"Eh?" The booth owner looked sharply left then right. He leaned toward Jiraiya and whispered. "I might be."

Jiraiya nodded and winked. "That's me!"

The booth owner's eyes widened. "Really?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and propped his chin on his upraised fist. "And _how_."

The booth owner and Jiraiya immediately jumped into a deep and philosophical conversation about several characters and scenarios in the series.

A bowl of steaming fish and vegetables in a brown sauce was plopped in front of Naruto. He snapped apart the wooden chopsticks and set to with gusto. It wasn't raman, his all time favorite food, but it was still damned good, and a whole lot better than what they'd been eating while trekking through the wilderness.

Somewhere around Naruto's third helping, Jiraiya set a shallow white porcelain cup beside Naruto. "Here you go." He lifted a small white bottle and poured steaming golden liquid into the shallow cup. "Your first _sake_." He lifted a finger. "Sip it, don't guzzle it." He set the bottle by Naruto's cup then lifted his own full cup. "Drink up!"

Naruto lifted the small cup carefully and sipped. It was almost hot and slightly bitter on his tongue, but not completely unpleasant. He swallowed. Warmth bloomed all the way down. He shivered hard in reaction. "Oh!"

Jiraiya nodded. "Take another sip. The second mouthful is always better."

Naruto took another sip, emptying the small cup. The taste was smoother, with no bite at all. He swallowed. Once again, warmth spilled down his throat to settle in his belly. "Oh…!"

Jiraiya raised his brow. "You like?"

Naruto eyed his empty cup. "Yeah. It's…warm."

Jiraiya nodded firmly. "Yep. Warm _sake _is perfect for a cool night like this one." He reached over and refilled Naruto's cup. "Happy birthday!" He grinned.

~ * ~


	2. Chapter 2

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Naruto took another sip, emptying the small cup. The taste was smoother, with no bite at all. He swallowed. Once again, warmth spilled down his throat to settle in his belly. "Oh…!"_

_Jiraiya raised his brow. "You like?" _

_Naruto eyed his empty cup. "Yeah. It's…warm." _

_Jiraiya nodded firmly. "Yep. Warm sake is perfect for a cool night like this one." He reached over and refilled Naruto's cup. "Happy birthday!" He grinned. _

* * *

_**Two**_

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**_After about two more cups of sake, Naruto turned around on his stool to watch all the colorful people and the gleaming lantern-lit floats pass by. Almost absently, he tugged his robe closed over his knees.

At his side, Jiraiya kept up a steady stream of cheerful conversation with the booth owner and the patrons that popped in to dine and drink.

Naruto decided that he liked _sake_. It was warming and it made him feel… He frowned, pondering. It didn't make him woozy, like he'd expected. Instead, it made him feel relaxed and a little…disconnected. Like, everything was passing through some sort of filter before it got to him. Even his movements seemed a little less…connected. He watched the passing people and noted how the bright lights and colors blurred a little around the edges in a rather pleasant manner. He nodded. He definitely liked _sake_.

Across the street, on the other side of the parade, a violet silk sleeve caught his eye. The sleeve was attached to a ground-sweeping robe belted over voluminous white pants, and the person wearing the ensemble…

Naruto's eyes widened.

Directly across from him and leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest was a young man with midnight eyes in a blindingly handsome, moon pale face. Silky blue-black hair fringed across his brow with long side-locks framing his cheeks. His lips were full and unsmiling.

Naruto frowned slightly. _That looks like…Sasuke?_

The young man turned his head and stared openly at Naruto. He flashed the slightest of smiles.

Naruto blinked in astonishment and his heart leapt in his chest. _He smirked at me!_ He rose from his stool. Was it really Sasuke? He had to know. He _had_ to _know_! He lunged into the road and dove into the thick of the processing floats and participants determined to find out.

With trained precision, Naruto nimbly dodged and ducked through the bright and boisterous crowd, easily avoiding the huge palanquin floats and their robed bearers to emerge unscathed on the other side. He trotted toward the tree, where he'd last seen the guy in violet silk.

He was gone.

Naruto looked right then left.

Up the road on the left, someone in violet was surrounded by a group of brightly robed women. The black-haired, black-eyed man raised both his hands, his long violet sleeves lifting like flags. He stepped back, breaking free of the gathered females.

The women cooed in obvious disappointment, but let him go.

Naruto dashed toward the man, passing through the females without brushing a single one. "Wait! Wait!" He reached out and snatched at the retreating violet sleeve. "Wait…!"

The man turned to look down at Naruto, a slight scowl curled his full lips. The scowl melted into a look of astonishment.

Naruto stared up at the moon pale face. He was incredibly handsome, but the features didn't quite line up properly, and his hair… His hair was long, not short in the back like Sasuke's. This man's hair fell almost to his waist, though it was bound at the back of his neck into a snug sleek tail.

He wasn't Sasuke.

His heart aching with severe disappointment, Naruto released the man's sleeve. "My mistake." He pasted a wide smile on his mouth. "I thought you were someone else." He turned away and blinked back the tears he most definitely didn't want to shed. _Not over that bastard_.

A hand fell on Naruto's shoulder. "Wait, just a moment, please."

Naruto hastily wiped his eyes with his sleeve and turned back. "Yes?"

The dark-eyed man frowned at him. "Have you lost someone?"

Naruto shook his head. "Uh, I was… " Delusional? Drunk…? Oh, drunk! _Yeah, that's it!_ He smiled as brightly as he could. "Eh, one too many cups of sake, I'm afraid." He shrugged. "It's my birthday."

The young man blinked down at him. "You're old enough to drink?"

Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh come on! I don't look _that _young!"

The young man smiled, and it was blinding. "Well you are a little…"

Naruto crossed his arms and curled his lip, though not quite far enough to show his slightly overlong incisors, courtesy of the demon fox sealed within him. "If you say _short_ I'll deck you. Believe it."

The young man snorted, then cleared his throat and lifted his chin. "Wouldn't dream of it!" He waved his hand in dismissal. "I was going to say…" He smiled. "…Slender. It's what makes you look so young."

Naruto heaved a sigh. "I can't help it! No matter how much muscle I put on, it all looks like this…!" He shoved up his sleeve, made a fist, and crooked his arm, revealing the wiry network of muscle that comprised his body.

The young man's eyes widened. "Well, you obviously get regular exercise."

Naruto snorted. "You have no idea." He was a ninja. He trained with just about every breath he took.

The young man tilted his head. "So, I look like someone you know?"

Naruto's smile slipped just a little. "Yeah." He looked over at the glittering parade passing by. "But there's no way in hell he'd be way out here in Timber Country." He turned back to the young man. "As I said, one too many cups of _sake_." He shrugged and widened his smile. "I apologize for chasing you down like that."

The young man lifted his brow. "Tell you what, why don't you introduce yourself, and we'll call it even… Oh shit." His gaze darted past Naruto's shoulders. "Damn it! Those girls are back with reinforcements."

Naruto turned to look behind him.

A hoard of brightly costumed females were bearing down on them at a fast clip.

Naruto stiffened. "Your fans?"

"You could say that." The young man grabbed Naruto's wrist and tugged him off the road and downhill into the trees. "This way!" They trotted down a sharp incline and stumbled.

Naruto winced. Clearly, this guy was not a ninja. He twisted his hand around to grab the other guy's wrist, and tugged him back to safer footing. "I got you." He hauled the young man after him deliberately choosing a path between the trees that would allow the other guy to keep his feet. In moments, the girls were left behind floundering among the pines.

The young man pointed a little to the left. "The lake is that way. If we can get to the shore, we'll have the best seat in the house to watch the fireworks."

Naruto nodded and wove through the trees. His nose caught the scent of water. He made a bee-line for it, instinctively choosing the path easiest for his less than skillful companion.

The water scent strengthened. He stopped at the very edge of the lake then turned to the right, walking along the edge until he found a place where the trees opened to reveal a good sized lake. The moon was full and bright, bathing the pine trees and the moss covered ground with a blue-silver glow. Naruto stopped and turned to his companion. "Is here good?"

The young man gasped in a few breaths and looked around. His cheeks were pink. "Perfect." He shook his head. "I'm impressed. You're not even winded."

Naruto shrugged. "This is nothing compared to how long I normally have to run for."

The young man looked back the way they'd come.

Naruto grinned. "No way in hell they'll follow us here."

The young man smiled. "I believe you." He stepped past Naruto and tugged at the neck ties to his heavy violet silk over-robe, then began unwinding the violet _obi_ sash that went around it.

Naruto watched with interest. It looked complicated.

The young man glanced over at Naruto. "If I get this antique silk _saifuku_ dirty, my father will skin me alive." Several quick tugs later, he had the wide-sleeved, floor sweeping robe open and off, revealing a plain white short robe of heavy cotton tucked into pleated and extremely full, white _hakima_ pants. He waved a hand toward the ground. "Have a seat. The fireworks should be starting soon."

Naruto chose a nice thick patch of moss and went to flop down only to remember at the last second that the _yukata_ he wore would not allow him to sit in his normal fashion. He ground his teeth. "Stupid bathrobe." He gathered up the long skirt baring his legs, then sat down, tucking the excess into his lap.

His companion turned to smile at him. "Not used to wearing a _yukata_?" He chose a likely tree branch and hung the violet robe neatly over it, taking care not to let it brush the ground.

Naruto winced, but smiled through it. "Is it _that_ obvious?"

The young man's smile widened to a grin. "Yes." He dropped gracefully to sit cross-legged beside Naruto on the patch of moss.

Naruto huffed. "Fine." He rolled his eyes dramatically toward his new friend. "No, I'm not used to wearing a bathrobe in public."

"A bathrobe…?" The young man suddenly laughed. "You are most definitely _not_ from around here."

Naruto tilted his head and widened his eyes. "Gee, ya think?" He shook his head in mock exasperation.

The young man grinned at Naruto. "By the way, I am Aoba." He nodded.

Naruto nodded back and smiled. "I'm Naruto."

Aoba's brow lifted. "Naruto, _Tempest_? What an interesting name."

Naruto grinned. "Glad you like it!"

"Oh…" Aoba reached down to untie a cord around his waist. "Since it _is_ your birthday…" From his side, he lifted a liter-sized double bodied gourd plugged with a cork. "Shall we continue your celebration?" He pulled out the cork and held out the gourd to Naruto. "Drink up!"

Naruto took the gourd and sniffed the contents. The dry yet slightly sweet scent of _sake_ wafted from the gourd. His brows lifted. "Oh, thanks!" He up-ended the bottle and took a small mouthful. The wine rolled across his tongue delivering a warm burn. He swallowed and it went down smoothly trailing warmth. Naruto smiled. "Oh that's nice." He passed the gourd back.

Aoba took the gourd. "Glad you like it." He lifted the bottle and took a swallow. He closed his eyes in obvious enjoyment. "Some of my dad's best."

Naruto snickered. "You raided your dad's wine stash?"

Aoba grinned. "Yep." He cleared his throat. "It was all for a good cause you know." He patted his chest. "Have to keep the lungs clear."

Naruto tiled his head to the side. "Eh?"

Aoba smiled and passed the gourd to Naruto. "I'm one of the shrine musicians, I play the flute." He winced. "All day yesterday and all day today, in fact."

Naruto took a healthy swig of the _sake_ and felt the glow begin to return, fading the edges of his thoughts. "Oh… So you're actually somebody important?" He passed the gourd back.

Aoba took the gourd and snorted. "Only on festival days." He turned to face Naruto. "How about you?"

Naruto shook his head. "I'm nobody important." His turned and smiled. "But I _will _be." He nodded. _When I'm Hokage; the respected leader of the Hidden Village of the Leaf._

"Oh, I see." Aoba leaned back on his hands and extended his feet, crossing them at the ankles. His gaze turned toward Naruto. "So, where do handsome young men with blue eyes and golden hair come from?"

Naruto folded his hands behind his neck and leaned back to stretch out on the moss, grinning up at the star-filled sky. "I have no idea, but_ I'm_ from way far south of here."

Aoba nodded. "I grew up here, but I hope to get accepted at the university." He made a sour face. "So I can do something _other_ than merely play a flute at the festivals. He leaned over and passed Naruto the gourd.

Naruto sat up to take a full mouthful of sake. He swallowed with his eyes closed to feel the smooth heat spread all the way down. "Damn, this is good stuff." He opened his eyes and found the world just a bit more hazy. He turned and smiled at Aoba. "This is the best damned birthday ever!" He passed the gourd back.

Aoba corked the gourd and set it down, then bit down on his bottom lip. "Would you mind if I…touched your hair? I've never seen hair like yours before."

Naruto blinked. It was an odd request but he couldn't see anything wrong with it. "Sure, if you want to." He sat up and turned his back. It wasn't something a ninja should do, but he honestly couldn't see Aoba as any sort of threat. _He can't even run through the woods without tripping._

Aoba sat up smoothly and scooted closer to Naruto's side. He reached out and threaded his fingers into Naruto's slightly shaggy mane. He released a soft breath. "Oh, it's thick, but so soft!" He used both hands to comb through Naruto's hair from his brow all the way to the ends at center of his shoulder blades.

Where Aoba's fingers passed, delicious tingles erupted and spread all the way down Naruto's back. He released a small sound of pleasure and leaned a bit closer to Aoba.

Aoba's voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Like a cat." He burrowed his fingers deeper, gently massaging Naruto's scalp. "Do you mind me…touching you like this?"

Naruto wriggled a little closer. "It's okay. It feels…nice." Actually, it felt a bit more than nice. Because of the demon sealed inside him, few people touched him voluntarily, though he'd received a quick hug or two. He enjoyed hugs. Hugs made him feel liked. This though, was entirely different. _This,_ the stroking of his hair and Aoba's obvious pleasure in it, made him feel…wanted.

"Naruto…" Aoba's fingers slid down to brush Naruto's neck, then down his back. "Was this person you thought I was…? Was he…your lover?"

Sasuke…his_ lover?_ Naruto snorted. _What a laugh! _"Oh hell no! No way, he'd ever be anybody's lover. He's too much of a cold-hearted bastard to let anyone get that close to him." Not even bright, beautiful Sakura-chan could melt his block of ice for a heart. His chest clenched with pain. He lowered his chin and his voice dropped to a whisper. "He was…my best friend." _At least, until he tried to kill me. _

Aoba cupped Naruto's chin and encouraged the blond to turn to face him. "My apologies for bringing up something clearly…not my business."

Naruto smiled despite the ache in his heart. "It's okay." He shrugged. "It's something I'll take care of…later." _After I hunt his ass down and drag it back home._

Aoba pressed the gourd back into Naruto's hand.

Naruto tilted the gourd back and took a large swallow. He closed his eyes to focus on the heat burning him all the way down to his chilled heart. A cool dribble slid from the corner of his mouth down his chin. He opened his eyes and stared into Aoba's black eyes. The moonlight tinted his hair with blue highlights and turned his skin to pearl. _Gods, this guy is freaking beautiful._ His gaze dropped to Aoba's full smiling lips. _Sasuke never smiled like that. _

Aoba reached up with a long slender finger and traced the damp path down Naruto's chin. He offered the wet finger to Naruto.

His mind hazed by the _sake_ warming his belly, Naruto leaned forward and licked the _sake_ on Aoba's finger. After all, it was only polite not to waste it.

Aoba's eyes hooded and his lips parted. He pressed his finger inward.

Naruto sucked the finger into his mouth and stroked it with his tongue, searching for the last traces of _sake_.

Aoba gently pulled his finger free, then took the gourd and up-ended it to take a mouthful of the rice wine. He looped his arm around Naruto's back, pulled him close, and pressed his mouth to Naruto's, tilting him back with the pressure of his mouth.

Naruto's lips parted in surprise, only to receive half a mouthful of sake. He grabbed onto Aoba's upper arms and swallowed hastily to keep from choking. His tongue automatically searched for what had slipped free and swept across Aoba's tongue in passing.

Aoba retaliated with a strong sweeping foray into Naruto's mouth.

~ * ~


	3. Chapter 3

_

* * *

Aoba gently pulled his finger free, then took the gourd and up-ended it to take a mouthful of the rice wine. He looped his arm around Naruto's back, pulled him close, and pressed his mouth to Naruto's, tilting him back with the pressure of his mouth. _

_Naruto's lips parted in surprise, only to receive half a mouthful of sake. He grabbed onto Aoba's upper arms and swallowed hastily to keep from choking His tongue automatically searched for what had slipped free and swept across Aoba's tongue in passing. _

_Aoba retaliated with a strong sweeping foray into Naruto's mouth. _

_**

* * *

Three

* * *

**_

Even with the haze that had settled over his mind, Naruto knew that he was being kissed and rather expertly too, but it didn't bother him at all. It was kind of nice, and more than a little…exciting.

It was much better than his accidental bump with Sasuke's mouth back at the Academy. That had given him a bloody lip. _This_ was giving him a rather interesting coiling feeling very low in his gut.

His lips sealed to Naruto's, Aoba pressed the younger man slowly back onto the mossy ground while keeping Naruto's tongue engaged. He pulled back to gently nip then lick Naruto's lips.

Naruto decided to follow his instincts to nip and lick right back.

Aoba's lips slid down Naruto's jaw, licking, sucking, and nipping until he reached the side of Naruto's throat. He opened his mouth wide and delivered a tender bite to the long muscle along the side of Naruto's throat.

Delicious tingles erupted in the wake of Aoba's teeth and traveled all the way down to Naruto's groin, sparking interest. Naruto lifted his chin and shuddered, a small moan escaping his lips.

Aoba's pale cool hand slid into the open neck of Naruto's robe and wandered across Naruto's lean muscular chest until the fingers discovered a hardened nipple. He flicked.

Delight speared straight down to Naruto's groin. He choked out a soft gasp. His cock began to fill and harden, excitement shifting into urgency.

Aoba moved over top of Naruto, sliding his right knee between Naruto's legs. The _yukata_ parted to expose the blonde's bare thighs. He pressed down, his hip resting against Naruto's rising erection.

Instinctively, Naruto lifted his left knee and shoved his hips upward, looking for friction. He vaguely felt the hard ridge against his other thigh that betrayed Aoba's erection, but it didn't concern him. He was too occupied with his own rising excitement.

Leaning on his left hand, Aoba pushed the top of Naruto's robe wide with his right, sweeping his palm across Naruto's chest then down his ribs. "Your skin is flawless, but your body… It's so…_hard_."

Naruto winced. Yeah his skin was flawless. The fox-demon sealed inside him healed him without leaving a trace. Sakura-chan had more battle scars than he did. Unfortunately, the fox also absorbed so much from him that he didn't have an ounce of fat to spare. He was nothing but a wiry snarl of muscle, tendons, and bone.

Curious, Naruto slid his hands up into Aoba's shirt and pressed his palms to Aoba's chest. The skin under his fingers was as sleek as satin, and as pale as milk. "Wow… You're skin is so soft!"

Aoba bit down on his bottom lip, his cheeks visibly pink in the moonlight. "Okay, so I clearly don't do whatever you're doing for exercise."

Naruto shook his head sharply. "No, I like it. It feels…nice."

Aoba swallowed. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Naruto tugged the shirt wider and swept across, exploring the contours and dips. He had fairly well defined muscles, but it was clear that he'd never done any real training. He was also completely unmarked by any nicks or scars. Aoba was definitely not a ninja or even a fighter of any kind. "You're so smooth."

Aoba set both hands on the ground on either side of Naruto and lifted himself higher; his gaze following Naruto's exploring fingers. "That's because I bathe in warm milk every day."

Naruto looked up at him in astonishment. "Really?"

Aoba rolled his eyes. "It was a joke, okay?" He shook his head. "Only girls bathe in milk."

"Oh." Naruto pressed both palms to Aoba's chest. "Because I was gonna say, that's what you feel like, warm milk." His hands slid across hardening nipples. He brushed his thumb back and forth across the hard nub of flesh.

Aoba shuddered and loosed a small sound that wasn't quite pain.

Naruto looked up and met Aoba's hooded black gaze.

Aoba's lips parted. He lowered himself and took Naruto's lips, then processed to kiss him like a man starving. His right hand dove under Naruto's robe, his fingers exploring the contours of Naruto's chest and moved downward to caress his muscular belly.

Naruto replied in kind, kissing him back and burrowing his hands deep under Aoba's robe to explore his smooth back. He enjoyed Aoba's touch, but he also took pleasure in touching Aoba's skin, tasting his kiss, the delicious pressure against his rapidly stiffening cock. With the _sake_ hazing his senses, it felt like a wonderful and exciting dream.

Aoba's heated mouth and talented tongue left Naruto's lips to nip down to Naruto's jaw, then to his throat to take a quick tender bite, then moved to Naruto's nipple where he lapped and sucked.

Jolts of erotic fire speared straight down to Naruto's dick. Urgency tightened in Naruto's cock and balls to unbearably delicious tension. He gasped and bucked upward.

His lips and teeth worrying at Naruto's nipple, Aoba slid his hand down, past Naruto's knotted obi. His warm fingers brushed Naruto's upraised knee and slid down the inside of his thigh. He found and cupped Naruto's aching cock.

The pressure felt so good it almost hurt. Naruto moaned long and hard, his entire body shuddering.

Aoba stiffened and looked up from Naruto's chest, his hand warm but unmoving on Naruto's flesh.

Naruto blinked at him. His eyes didn't quite want to focus. "Something wrong?"

Aoba swallowed. "You're not wearing a _fundoshi_."

Naruto frowned. "What's that? Is it important?" Jiraiya had said that it wasn't a big deal.

Aoba's eyes widened. "It's… Um…" He smiled. "Nope, it's not important."

Naruto sprawled back. "Oh, good."

Groaning, Aoba whispered on the edge of Naruto's hearing. "So innocent…" He slithered down Naruto's body, kissing, licking, and nipping the flexing muscles under his lips. "Blessed gods, how could anyone resist this?"

Naruto was too busy shuddering under Aoba's hot talented mouth to bother with to anything Aoba's said.

Aoba's palms pressed Naruto's knees apart. He turned his head to deliver an open-mouth bite to the long muscle on his inner thigh.

Naruto gasped and his toes curled.

Aoba dove downward to swirl his tongue along the crown of Naruto's cock.

Naruto's eyes opened wide in shock. He pushed up onto his elbows, staring at his hard cock, and tongue dancing across it

Aoba met his gaze, his midnight eyes narrowed with intent. He ducked his head and licked from the base of the shaft all the way up to the flared edge of the crown, then flicked the wet slit at the top with the very tip of his tongue.

Naruto's balls tightened with vicious urgency. He threw his head back, collapsing on the mossy ground, and groaned. His eyes closed tight. _Oh my god he's licking my cock!_ His hot, wet, delicious tongue was swirling, licking, sucking, and _tasting_ every damned inch of him, right down to the balls. He grabbed the ground on either side of him, his fingers digging in deep, twitching, and gasping. It felt like heaven. It felt like hell. It was both too much and not enough.

Without stopping his tongue even once, Aoba lifted both Naruto's legs and set them over his shoulders. His hands cupped Naruto's ass, tilting it up. His talented tongue swept down to the base of Naruto's shaft to lick across his balls then under them. His lips, tongue, and heated breath moved further down to nibble on the delicate seam, then his tongue moved even lower to circle his anus.

Naruto couldn't help but shudder and buck in raw animal reaction. _He's licking my ass!_ A guy he'd just met was _licking_ his ass. A gorgeous guy, but a _guy_ just the same had kissed him then licked his cock, his balls, and now his ass, and… And he didn't care.

He _didn't_ care because it was the most incredibly exciting thing ever, but more than that, he was going to make him cum, and oh, gods above, he wanted to cum _so bad_!

Abruptly something pushed at his anus. It felt like a finger.

Naruto stiffened. _What the…?_

Aoba lifted his head from between Naruto's thighs, his lips wet with saliva. He wiped his mouth with the heel of one hand and used the other to reach over and pick up the gourd of sake. Staring into Naruto's eyes, he up-ended it, filling his mouth with the sweet and pungent rice wine.

Naruto sat up on his hands, his knees upraised and his body trembling with hunger.

Aoba set the gourd to the side and moved over Naruto. He wrapped one arm around Naruto's shoulders and pressed his mouth to Naruto's lips.

Naruto parted his lips under Aoba's mouth to gain a half a mouthful of sake and Aoba's tongue. He swallowed then stroked Aoba's tongue while heat bloomed in his belly. Under the pressure of Aoba's lips and clever fingers, he melted backwards to lie back on the ground.

Aoba followed Naruto to the ground without breaking their kiss. His hands swept into Naruto's golden hair, brushing it back from his face. His palms slid down Naruto's chest, his fingers plucking lightly at Naruto's hard nipples. His mouth nibbled down to Naruto's throat, nipping and licking. His hands urged Naruto onto his side. His teeth scored Naruto's shoulder. With his lips, teeth, and tongue he urged him onto his belly and began gently biting his way down Naruto's back.

On his belly, Naruto squirmed, shivering and trembling under the storm of gentle nips and tender bites. Something deep within him, something violent, feral, and instinctive deep in his belly didn't like having another male hovering over his back like that, but he was too busy enjoying the unusually exciting sensations to pay too much attention to it.

Aoba bit his way down to Naruto's rump, moved behind him, and slowly insinuated both knees between Naruto's legs, spreading him wide. Taking a full mouthful of Naruto's ass cheek, he reached under to grasp Naruto's cock.

Naruto groaned and came up on his knees and elbows. He rocked, thrusting into Aoba's hand. The raw delight of friction on his engorged cock took his breath away.

Aoba lifted his mouth from Naruto's ass and chuckled softly. "Yes, that's it, fuck my hand." Holding Naruto's cock firmly, he used his free hand to grip Naruto's butt and lowered his head to swirl his tongue around Naruto's anus.

Trembling, Naruto continued to rock back and forth, thrusting into Aoba's hand while pushing back against Aoba's tongue at the same time.

Aoba hummed against Naruto's anus in open enjoyment, then pulled his mouth and both hands away.

Naruto groaned in disappointment and looked over his shoulder.

Aoba had a small plastic bottle in one hand. He poured what looked like oil onto his other palm. Aoba smiled. "This will make everything feel so much better." He capped the bottle, tucked it into the front of his shirt, then reached under to grasp Naruto's cock with a hand slippery with thick oil.

The warm slick hand felt incredible. His body shook with the intensity of the stimulation. His moans grew in volume with each stroke.

Aoba pulled back to whisper in a hoarse voice. "Push out against me." He pressed what could only be an oil-slicked finger against Naruto's anus.

Naruto stilled in shock and embarrassment. Push out with his…_anus?_ He couldn't have heard that right. He looked over his shoulder at Aoba. "What do you want me to do?"

Aoba lifted his brow. "I need you to push out here…" He pressed against Naruto's anus. "…So it will open to let me in."

Let him_ in?_ Naruto's eyes widened. "You want to put your finger in _there_? But that's…dirty!"

Aoba snorted. "I've been _licking_ your ass all this time, and _now_ you're concerned?" He huffed out a breath. "Look, do you want to cum or not?" He squeezed Naruto's cock in blatant reminder.

Naruto shuddered and groaned. "I do, but…?"

Aoba pressed his finger more firmly against Naruto's anus. "Then push out."

Naruto wasn't sure what a finger in his ass had to do with cumming, but everything Aoba had done so far had felt incredible. What could it hurt? He groaned and pushed out.

Aoba's slick finger breached the snug opening and sank smoothly in to the knuckle.

Naruto gasped in sheer surprise.

Aoba stilled, his finger deep, but unmoving. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

Naruto frowned in thought. "It doesn't hurt. It just feels…weird."

Aoba blew out a soft breath. "Okay. How does this feel?" He wiggled the finger around in a circle

The sensation delivered not unpleasant tingles that made Naruto shudder. "Okay, I guess."

Aoba pressed firmly against something utterly, shockingly, delicious.

Naruto choked out a moan and writhed in sheer reaction. "Shit…!"

Aoba crooned out a pleased moan. "Ah… There's your good spot." He pressed it again.

Naruto gasped in a breath only to moan it back out. He couldn't stop himself from shoving back onto Aoba's hand for more.

Aoba pulled his finger back only to add another, using two fingers to press against that incredibly wonderful…whatever it was. Then three fingers…

Naruto's ass felt stretched wide open, but ignored it in favor of the urgency pulsing in his cock, which had hardened almost beyond endurance. His moans rose in pitch until they sounded an awful lot like whimpers even to his ears. He had been excited before, but this time he was near desperation. "Aoba, please…!"

~ * ~


	4. Chapter 4

_

* * *

Aoba pulled his finger back only to add another, using two fingers to press against that incredibly wonderful…whatever it was. Then three fingers… _

_Naruto's ass felt stretched wide open, but ignored it in favor of the urgency pulsing in his cock, which had hardened almost beyond endurance. His moans rose in pitch until they sounded an awful lot like whimpers even to his ears. He had been excited before, but this time he was near desperation. "Aoba, please…!"_

_**

* * *

Four

* * *

  
**_

Behind him, Aoba's voice was soft. "More? Harder?"

Naruto shoved his ass back on Aoba's hand with determined force. "Yes, gods please!"

"Alright." He pulled his hands free. Fabric rustled.

Naruto groaned in disappointment. "Don't stop…!"

Aoba growled. "Don't be impatient." He pressed something hot, hard, slippery with oil, and much thicker than his finger against Naruto's anus. It nudged for entry. "Push out hard, and keep pushing."

Naruto sucked in a startled breath, his mind clearing with dizzying speed. He had a pretty damned good idea about what Aoba was trying to shove into his ass. He wasn't completely ignorant. Jiraiya had seen to that with all his manuscripts lying around where anyone could read them, and there was no mistaking the position he was in, but… "Aoba, is that your…?"

Aoba grabbed Naruto's right hip and leaned over his back. "Is that my dick? Yes. Now, if you want to cum, then push!" The pressure increased against Naruto's anus, stretching the small opening wide with a sharp ache.

Naruto gasped, unsure what to do. The pain wasn't bad, he'd suffered far worse, but it _was_ frighteningly intimate. At the same time, he didn't really want to stop. What Aoba had done before had felt incredible. If this was going to make _that_ even better…? He pushed. The sharpness disappeared. He groaned in sheer relief and writhed. Aoba's cock slid further into him, stretching him, filling him, and giving him a completely different type of ache. It didn't feel _bad_, just…strange. "Aoba…?"

Aoba groaned as though in pain and grabbed onto Naruto's ass with both hands. "Oh fuck, you're tight, and hot." He pulled back a little then lunged deeper.

Naruto had only a moment to register Aoba's hips hitting his ass, when his long hard cock rammed into that place deep inside and slid beyond. A minor explosion of electric bliss washed throughout Naruto's bowels and raced up his spine to the back of his skull. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding with shock and near-violent excitement.

"Yes, that's it." Aoba ground his hips, dragging his cock all the way around inside, stirring shivers and more of that glorious pressure.

Naruto dropped his head to the mossy ground groaning and writhing to feel more of that glorious electric pleasure.

Aoba moaned. "Oh gods, I'm gonna cum just from listening to you!" He yanked back and thrust forward hard, striking that spot perfectly.

Naruto saw white, dug his fingers into the earth, and howled.

Two loud booms echoed overhead. The sky was filled with sparkling yellow and red lights.

Aoba spread his knees between Naruto's, shoving the blonde's legs even wider. He fell over Naruto's back, grabbing onto Naruto's shoulder and pressed hasty kisses to Naruto's back. "God you feel so good." He withdrew and drove back in with a short hard thrust.

Naruto shoved back to meet him, angling his ass so that the thrust met that place perfectly. Lighting spilled through him. He shuddered and choked out a deep throaty cry.

Clinging to Naruto's shoulder, Aoba moaned. "Oh, fuck...!" He slammed his cock into Naruto hard and fast, over and over, and over, grunting with his thrusts.

Mindless under the wash of harsh carnal pleasure, Naruto cried out and bucked back to meet him, aware of nothing but the shocks flaring in his body, the heavy tightness in his balls, and the urgency swelling his cock. He was going to cum…

The sky above filled with hollow booms and monstrous flowers made of shooting sparks in every color of the rainbow.

"Shit, can't hold it." Aoba reached down to grasp Naruto's cock and began pumping it in time with his thrusts. His breath washed hot against Naruto's ear. "Come on… Come on pretty boy spill it for me. Let me see you cum with my dick fucking your tight ass." He pulled back and slammed in even harder, his fist tight around Naruto's cock.

Aoba's filthy words mixed with the raw pleasure boiling in his gut. His breath stilled for an instant, and then his balls clenched. White hot rapture exploded through him blazing up his spine to spear into his skull. His vision clouded with sparks of red and gold. A feral howl ripped his throat. Liquid pleasure raced up his cock and pumped out to spatter hot and steaming on the ground under him.

Above him, Aoba shouted and pumped hot thick liquid deep into Naruto's bowels.

They collapsed on the moss in a panting tangle of twitching limbs. The rich musk of spilled semen scented the entire clearing.

Naruto couldn't help but writhe on his belly to make the euphoria last just a little bit longer.

Gasping, Aoba rolled off of Naruto's back, his spent cock pulling from Naruto's body.

Naruto rolled over onto his back and stared up at the last of the green and blue fireworks lighting the moonlit sky, basking in the last tremors of pleasure that skittered through him. For once, he completely understood Jiraiya's obsession with sex.

Aoba leaned up on one elbow and bent over Naruto. His hooded black eyes were dilated wide open, and his cheeks flushed. He nibbled on his plump bottom lip. "Are you okay?"

Naruto looked into Aoba's deep black eyes. On a whim, he grabbed hold of Aoba's black hair and pulled him down for a quick but thorough kiss. He released Aoba and smiled. "Yeah." His brow lifted. "But you tricked me."

Aoba's cheeks flushed a deeper crimson. "I uh…yeah, I did." He rolled his eyes. "I couldn't help it!" His lip curled in a scowl. "You were so bright, yet sad and adorable…"

Naruto scowled. "_Adorable_…?"

Aoba glared. "Yes, adorable and naïve too! Then I got a good look at your body and I…" He looked away. "I _really_ wanted you." He shook his head. "I just couldn't…resist." He let loose a soft breath. "Sorry."

Naruto huffed out a breath. "It's okay. I'm not hurt, or anything."

Aoba smiled a little crookedly. "You forgive me?"

Naruto smiled. "Sure."

Aoba flopped over to sprawl on his back and looked up at the stars with a small smile. "Thank the gods…" He looked over at Naruto. "I can't believe you've never done it before."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "What? Am I too old to be…new at this, or something?" He wasn't going to say '_a virgin'_. That sounded way too girly.

Aoba sat up and shook his head. He folded his shirt back across his chest and tucked it into the waist of his voluminous white hakima pants. "Too sexy and way too innocent."

Naruto sat up wide-eyed. "Too _innocent_…?" With all the blood and death he'd been dealing with as a ninja for the past few years?

Aoba grinned and started knotting up the ties to his pants. "Oh come on, you barely knew what to do with your tongue when I first kissed you."

Oh _that_… Naruto looked away and started tucking his robe back into place around him. Aoba had a point. If one didn't count that mouth mash he'd done with Sasuke all those years ago, it _was_ technically his first kiss. He shot a sideways glare at Aoba knowing damned good and well that his bottom lip was protruding too. "So I'm not…experienced."

Aoba rose to his feet and scooped up the _obi_ sash to Naruto's robe. His soft full lips curved up into a smile. "Maybe, but you sure caught on quick." He offered the sash to Naruto.

Naruto took the sash and grinned. "I do that." He rose to his feet and started wrapping the sash around his hips. The robe was…not in the best of conditions. Luckily it was a dark color so the moss stains wouldn't be apparent in the dark. Despite his best efforts, the sash ended up a snarled mess.

Aoba snorted. "You really don't know how to wear one of those, do you?" He rolled his eyes and stepped closer. "Here, let me do that." He gently pulled the tie from Naruto's hands. In a matter of seconds, he had the sash wound snugly around Naruto's hips and neatly knotted at his back.

Naruto turned around and grinned up at Aoba. "Thanks!"

Aoba's eyes widened and his smile slipped away. He brushed his fingers through Naruto's hair. "Gods… I'm amazed that at least one pervert hasn't already taken advantage of you."

Naruto lifted his brow. "Do _you_ count?"

Aoba winced and dropped his hand from Naruto's hair. "Point taken."

Naruto laughed. "Nope, no other perverts got to me." _Good thing Jiraiya's into girls._ He shuddered just a little. He shook his head and let his smile fade. "I'm a lot meaner than I look."

Aoba bit down on his bottom lip. "You're certainly a lot stronger than you look." He turned away to collect his violet robes from the tree limb. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone with the muscles you have."

Naruto looked away. "I'm something of a long distance runner." Jiraiya had told him to say that if anyone ever asked about his build the last time they were in a public bathhouse.

Aoba nodded uphill toward the distant road. "Come on, we better get back."

Naruto nodded. "My master is probably looking for me."

Aoba groaned. "I'm hoping to sneak back into the house before my parents see me." He took a few steps and almost immediately slipped.

Naruto collected Aoba's hand and pulled him onto more even ground. "I can help you sneak in if you want."

Aoba's brows lifted. "Experienced at sneaking into places?"

Naruto scowled. "Not according to my master." Jiraiya caught him every damned time he tried to sneak in or out of wherever they happened to be.

Aoba laughed. "Good to know you're not a professional thief!'

Naruto kept his grin firmly on his lips, but inwardly he cringed. "Nope, not a thief." Not _merely_ one anyway.

A few long minutes later, lights gleamed through the tree. The road where they'd met was just ahead.

"Naruto?" Aoba tugged Naruto to a stop.

Naruto looked back. "Something wrong?" He took a fast survey of the area but didn't spot anything unusual or out of place.

Aoba took a breath and stared into Naruto's eyes. "Will I see you again?"

Naruto forced a smile onto his lips. "I'll be around, for a little while anyway."

Aoba took in a breath, then nodded and dropped his gaze. "Okay."

Naruto didn't like that woebegone look on Aoba's face. He turned up the wattage on his smile. "Hey, I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Aoba's lips curved up into a tentative smile. "Sure."

Naruto scowled. "I don't say things I don't mean, okay?" Impulsively, he leaned close to press a kiss to Aoba's lips.

Aoba grabbed him around the waist and kissed him back, his tongue sweeping in as though to taste the last drop of a dessert he'd never have again.

Naruto replied in kind. The guy _was _a damned good kisser.

Aoba let Naruto go and smiled a little crookedly. "Okay."

They walked up onto the road and parted hands in silence. The crowds had thinned considerably and many of the booths were covered for the night.

Aoba took one last long look at Naruto then turned and walked up the street, head down and his violet robes flung over one shoulder.

Naruto let out a breath.

A deep, rumbling, and familiar voice spoke from the tree over his head. "So, how were the fireworks, kid?"

Naruto didn't bother to look up. He was too busy watching Aoba disappear from view. "They were…nice."

Jiraiya dropped out of the tree, landing at Naruto's side. "Good." He dropped his arm around Naruto's shoulders and turned him to face the opposite direction. "I think that was enough celebrating for one night, yes?"

Naruto nodded and followed Jiraiya back to their small attic room at the inn.

~ * * * ~

Two weeks later, Naruto walked down the quiet street toward the inn, the axe he'd borrowed from the logging foreman perched on his shoulder. He still wasn't happy with the deep blue canvas pants and matching work jacket he wore, but Jiraiya had proved stubborn about getting him some clothes that actually suited him.

"No red, no yellow, and absolutely no orange! The idea is to _hide_ your presence, not advertise it all over the known world!"

Naruto unzipped his jacket to reveal a bright orange t-shirt he wore beneath it. A smile tugged at his lips. _Can't tell me what __**not**__ to wear under it!_

Cutting trees had proved interesting work. He'd certainly surprised more than a few of the other workers when it came to physical strength and handling an axe. Truthfully though, he'd used a shadow clone to do the work for him while he worked on the training exercises Jiraiya set for him. He still hadn't quite mastered the _rasengan_ technique without the help of another clone, but he was getting there.

He took a deep breath. The scent of snow was in wind. In the next day or so, the mountain and everything around it would become a world of silent white. He looked up at the sunset tinted orange and red clouds over the mountain. The rich deep blue of twilight had already overtaken half the sky. _The same color as my yukata. _An ache suddenly echoed in his heart.

He hadn't seen Aoba once since that night.

Naruto shook his head. It was probably better this way. He'd be leaving in the spring, as soon as the passes in the mountains cleared of snow.

A shout came from behind him. "Naruto!" It wasn't Jiraiya's voice.

Naruto turned, wide-eyed. _Who…?_

A young man came running from a side street, his layered formal robes proclaiming that he was a rich man's son and most likely noble. A long black tail swung behind him. His eyes were as black as night, and his face moon pale. His grin was breathtakingly familiar.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Aoba?"

The young man ran up to him, and clapped a hand on Naruto's shoulder, gasping for breath. "I finally found you!"

Naruto eyed the rich robes and whistled. "Wow, you look like the local Prince's son."

Aoba winced and rolled his eyes. "One of them, anyway. I have six brothers, all older than me."

Naruto blinked. He hadn't expected his guess to be _right_.

Aoba grinned at him. "Anyway, I wanted to tell you, I was accepted at the university! I'm finally getting out of this town!"

Naruto gave him his largest smile, just barely concealing his slightly overlong incisors. "Hey, that's great! Congratulations!"

Aoba nodded. "Now maybe I can do something other than play a flute and look good sitting on a pillow."

Naruto shook his head. "No way, you'll always look good sitting on a pillow."

Aoba growled. "Gee, thanks."

Naruto grinned. "You're welcome."

Aoba's smile faded. "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. I'm taking the last ship out before the ice closes the river."

Naruto's smile also faded. "I'm sure you'll do great."

Aoba grabbed Naruto's shoulders with both hands. "Tomorrow, where can I meet you?"

Naruto shook his head. "I'll be up on the mountain cutting trees."

Aoba leaned close. "Do you know where the double water fall is?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know where that is." He'd passed it more than a few times going to and from the logging site.

Aoba stared hard into Naruto's eyes. "Meet me there at noon. Promise!"

Naruto nodded again. "Okay. I'll see you there tomorrow."

Aoba pressed a quick kiss to Naruto's mouth. "Got to go!" He turned and fled back down the side street, his robes flying behind him.

Naruto walked the rest of the way to the inn, his heart a conflicted mess. He was thrilled that he'd finally seen Aoba again, and would see him tomorrow, but his heart ached knowing that it would probably be the last time they ever saw each other.

Sometimes being a ninja sucked.

~ * ~


	5. Chapter 5

_

* * *

Aoba leaned close. "Do you know where the double water fall is?"_

_Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know where that is." He'd passed it more than a few times going to and from the logging site. _

_Aoba stared hard into Naruto's eyes. "Meet me there at noon. Promise!"_

_Naruto nodded again. "Okay. I'll see you there tomorrow." _

_Aoba pressed a quick kiss to Naruto's mouth. "Got to go!" He turned and fled back down the side street, his robes flying behind him. _

_Naruto walked the rest of the way to the inn, his heart a conflicted mess. He was thrilled that he'd finally seen Aoba again, and would see him tomorrow, but his heart ached knowing that it would probably be the last time they ever saw each other. _

_Sometimes being a ninja sucked. _

_**

* * *

Five

* * *

**_

Naruto continued his way back to the room at the inn in a daze. He left his sandals by the door, dropped his clothes in the corner, then went to take a shower hoping to clear his mind. Ninja lived from day to day, mission to mission. The future was too uncertain to plan for anything else. There was no room in his life for handsome sons of princes who lived in countries several months foot travel away from home.

Unfortunately, his throbbing erection didn't give two farts for what he thought.

Groaning, Naruto did the only thing he could. He dribbled a little hair conditioner into his palm, then took hold of himself and indulged in heated memories of hot kisses, tender bites, invasive fingers… His slicked hand moved swiftly on his rigid flesh, but it wasn't quite enough to bring him off.

Growling in impatient annoyance, Naruto propped his heel on the tile wall and used just a bit of chakra energy to hold it there. He dribbled conditioner on both hands, then reached around his butt with his off hand. Carefully, he slid his slicked middle finger deep into his ass to find and press that swollen gland deep inside. He sighed in bliss. "Yes…" One hand on his cock and the other inside, he once again retreated into his imagination of moonlight and fireworks. It still wasn't quite enough, but it was better than nothing. Groaning softly from the awkward position, his body finally gave way and released under the hot water.

Huffing out a long breath, Naruto rinsed away the last of the evidence, and shut off the water. _What a fucking pain in the ass._ A small tight smile curled his lip. _Literally._ Ever since that night, the simple pleasure of masturbation had become amazingly awkward. Simply jacking off just wasn't doing it for him any more.

He stepped out, grabbed a towel, and scrubbed himself mostly dry. Dealing with his new form of…getting off, wasn't a big deal at the moment, but he dreaded the long trek back across the wilderness where showers and privacy were non-existent.

Heaven help him if Jiraiya caught him with his fingers up his ass.

Naruto slipped on the twilight blue _yukata_ he'd taken to using as a night-robe and stepped out of the bathroom. The scent of cooking rice filled his nose.

Jiraiya was seated in the right hand chair by the window reading a local newspaper spread out on the narrow table. His long white hair was pulled back into a long shaggy tail that draped down the back of his gray-green t-shirt. He still wore the pine green canvas trousers he wore when working at the logging site. The matching jacket hung over the back of his chair. He looked up and smiled. "Done with the shower?"

Naruto turned his gaze to the left and the electric rice cooker on the sideboard, and nodded.

Jiraiya brows dipped a little. "So, how did training go today? Any progress?"

Naruto walked over to the sideboard and looked through the clear glass cover at the cooking rice. "Some." He took in a deep breath and faced his master. "I've got a grip on making wind blades, but the _rasengan_ still takes a third hand to make it work right, though I can make it faster than before."

Jiraiya frowned. "Hmm…" He rose from the chair and scratched at the back of his neck. "Sounds like your _chakra_ control is getting better." He shot a narrow look at Naruto. "Despite your distraction."

Naruto stiffened. "What distraction?" He'd been doing nothing but training hard, every damned day.

Jiraiya snorted and gave his apprentice a tight smile. "Still living in denial, eh?"

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and planted his feet wide. His chin lifted. "I've denied nothing."

"Oh?" Jiraiya crossed his arms and planted his heels as well. "Shall we talk about your little adventure with the son of the local prince?"

Naruto blinked. _He knows who he is? I didn't even know who he was!_ He shook his head. "So we had sex, so what?"

Jiraiya lifted his chin. "Did you have sex with Sasuke?"

Naruto stumbled back in sheer shock. "What? No!"

"No?" Jiraiya brows rose and his hands dropped to his hips. "The little prince is your first?"

Naruto tilted his head to the side, not quite sure what Jiraiya was getting at. "Yeah, so?"

Jiraiya shook his head and chuckled. "The way you've been pining after that Uchiha brat, I was convinced _he_ was your first."

Naruto curled his lip, deliberately baring a fang. "He was my _best friend_. And in case you hadn't noticed, I was _fifteen_ at the time, you pervert."

Jiraiya looked away. "Being fifteen didn't stop the Uchiha brat."

Naruto blinked. "What?" He waved his hands before his face. "Wait a minute, are you saying that Sasuke had a…?" _Boyfriend…? Girlfriend…?_ "…A lover?"

Jiraiya's brows lifted. "You didn't know?"

Naruto huffed out a breath. "Of course not!" He rolled his eyes and threw his hands wide. "No one ever tells _me_ anything!"

Jiraiya shrugged and turned away. "Oh well, it doesn't matter any more. It's all over now."

Naruto looked the other way. He was right, it _was_ over. Sasuke had left everything and everyone behind to pursue revenge, and now… "Doesn't matter about this one either."

Jiraiya looked back over at Naruto. "Hmm?"

Naruto fiddle with the belt of his robe. "He's leaving to go to some university the day after tomorrow."

Jiraiya winced. "Ah shit. Look, I'm sorry kid."

Naruto looked back over at his master and forced a smile on his lips. "No big deal. I knew it wouldn't last. He's a prince, and I'm…" He looked away. "I'm…_not_."

Jiraiya wiped a hand down his face. "I think I'll go take my shower now." He strode for the bathroom.

Naruto looked out the window at the dying sliver of the waning moon and nodded. "You do that." After several long blank minutes, it occurred to him that he should give Aoba a parting gift, something to remember him by. However, being damned near broke he was somewhat limited in what he could give the son of a prince.

He blinked. The son of a _prince_…! Suddenly he knew exactly what to give Aoba. He walked over to his pack and pulled out a small blank scroll, his ink block, and his smallest writing brush…

~ * * * ~

Naruto stood on the jutting rock overlooking the gorge, his dark blue jacket open to the cool mountain breeze. He stared up at the double waterfall falling from the split crag high above. All around him, maple trees blazed with the red, yellow, and orange colors of sunset. The sky above was vibrant blue with only wisps of white clouds.

It was only minutes to noon.

Naruto pressed his palm to his chest. His heart thumped hard under his palm while his belly was roiled with butterflies, but strangely, his mind was clear and empty.

From behind him came the rhythmic thumps of cantering hooves.

Naruto turned to look behind him down the embankment and the up the dirt logging road.

A glossy coin-gold buckskin horse with four black stockings and a pitch black mane and tail cantered toward him. He carried a young man with waist-length black hair was bound back into a snug tail. He was dressed in black jeans that hugged his muscular thighs. A short black leather jacket flapped behind him over a plain white t-shirt.

Naruto moved to stand at the very edge of the embankment, a smile curling his lips. _Aoba…_

With a soft chirrup, Aoba urged the horse toward the embankment. His mount leapt up and landed smoothly on the grass several yards away from where Naruto stood. Aoba turned his mount toward Naruto and clapped his heels to the horse's side, urging him into a gallop. Heading straight for Naruto, he leaned over the right side, and held out his hand, grinning.

Naruto grinned right back, his body tensing with anticipation.

The horse swept by.

Naruto grabbed onto Aoba's forearm and leapt, throwing his leg up high to land neatly behind saddle, straddling the horse's rump. He looped an arm around Aoba's waist and shouted for sheer joy.

Aoba urged his horse sharply to the right and uphill, away from the gorge and the waterfalls. They galloped deep into the maple dotted wood. The ride was breathtakingly swift and wild, the horse leaping over fallen tree trunks with ease.

In the very center of a grove of fiery maples and aspens with sun bright golden leaves, they came to a small meadow of tall frost-yellowed grass. Aoba pulled his horse to a rearing halt.

Naruto slid backwards off the horse's rump, landing smoothly in a crouch.

Aoba brought up his knee and slid down the side of his mount. He landed smoothly, dropping his split reins to the ground. The sweating, snorting buckskin trotted a few steps away and dropped his head to graze.

Smiling broadly, Naruto strode through the tall grass and up the hillock toward Aoba. "Wow, you're in jeans!"

Aoba climbed the opposite side of the hillock and met Naruto at the top. The wind lifted his silky black tail of hair. His midnight eyes were graced with long sooty lashes and straight black brows that swept upward. His high cheekbones and straight nose were a study in sweeping angles and touched with a hint of pink. His smiling cherry petal lips were full and moist. "You don't like jeans?"

Naruto shook his head at the handsome young man who towered a full head over him. "I like them fine. It's just a different look for you."

His smile faded. "Gods, you belong in sunlight."

Naruto's smile faded too. Strangely, a line from one of Juraiya's trashy books came to mind and popped out of his mouth before he could stop it. "I'll never see another moonlit night without thinking of you."

Aoba's eyes widened, then his jaw clenched. He lunged for Naruto.

Naruto held perfectly still, waiting.

Aoba flung his arms around Naruto and kissed him with bruising force, his tongue surging past Naruto's parted lips.

Kissing him back just as hungrily, Naruto grabbed hold of Aoba's shoulders and gently knocked Aoba's booted ankle back. With a subtle tug, and a hard lean backwards, he pulled Aoba down to sprawl on top of him into the thick grass.

Aoba pushed up onto his knees to yank his black jacket off and tossed it away. He leaned down to take Naruto's mouth in another harsh devouring kiss.

Naruto looped his arms around Aoba's neck and replied in kind, memorizing his clean fresh water taste and the way his tongue danced and stroked against him.

Aoba's hands dug Naruto's t-shirt from his pants and shoved it up to his neck. He broke the kiss to look down at Naruto. His palms slid across the blonde's exposed chest and belly, his eyes wide in open admiration. He licked his lips. "So muscular, so golden…"

Naruto bit back a hiss of shivery pleasure. Aoba's hands felt warm and smooth like satin on his skin. "I-I'm outdoors a lot." _Like, every day of my life._

Aoba dropped his head and bit his way down the side of Naruto's throat, leaving small red marks in his wake. Reaching Naruto's chest, he latched onto Naruto's right nipple with teeth and tongue, sucking, nipping, and licking while his left hand reached over to tug and twist at the left nipple.

Erotic fire blazed a fiery path straight down to Naruto's dick, making it throb. He writhed gasping and moaning, his fingers seeking and finding the tie that held back Aoba's hair. A quick twist broke the tie. Black silk spilled into Naruto's fingers, across Aoba's back and onto the grass around them. He couldn't help but lift a fistful to his nose to take in the fragrance of sandalwood soap and the unique scent that was Aoba.

Aoba moaned in obvious pleasure around Naruto's nipple eliciting shivers.

The delicious vibration on Naruto's nipple made him shiver.

Aoba's right caressed its way down Naruto's belly, inducing the muscles into quivering, then moved beyond to the waistband of Naruto's pants. His fingers worked open the button and zipper. His hand slid in to grasp Naruto's straining cock and pulled it free

Naruto sucked in a deep breath. He was already so damned hard that it wouldn't take much to make him cum.

Aoba lifted his head and eyed the flared purple crown. A small dribble of clear fluid bubbled from the slit at the top. He gaze lifted to Naruto's and his eyes narrowed, his lips curving into a sly smile.

Naruto licked his lips in anticipation. Was he going to lick him there, like before?

Aoba scooted downward, insinuating himself between Naruto's spread thighs, and sucked Naruto's cock into his mouth as far as it would go. Two fingers closed around snugly the base of Naruto's dick. His tongue lashed the sensitive underside.

The pleasure was so intense, Naruto let out a choked cry and arched back, his hips bucking upward.

Sucking hard, Aoba pulled up and stroked his tongue across the sensitive slit at the top, then sucked it in deep. He rose again to lick the sensitive head, then sucked him back in. He rose and fell, then again, and again.

Naruto shuddered hard under the carnal onslaught. "Oh shit! Oh fuck…!" His balls tightened with the urge to cum, but wasn't enough, not nearly enough. He couldn't go over the edge. He cried out in frustration and tore up fistfuls of grass.

Aoba pulled up until Naruto's cock slid free with a wet pop. "Something wrong?" He smiled.

Naruto huffed in annoyed frustration. "I can't…" His face filled with embarrassment. "I can't cum that way." …_Anymore_.

Aoba's smile became a knowing smirk. "Good."

Naruto narrowed his gaze in suspicion. "What?"

Kneeling up, Aoba grabbed the back of Naruto's pants and boxers and yanked them up over his ass. With a hard tug, he pulled them off his legs and tossed them aside. "I'm pleased that you respond so well to me."

Naruto snorted. "That's one way of putting it."

Aoba grabbed the hem of his white t-shirt and yanked it over his head. Staring down at Naruto, his gaze narrowed and hot, he opened the button to his jeans and lowered the fly releasing the rigid curving shaft of his cock. He reached down to stroke himself slowly. "I'm pleased because I want you to cum when I fuck you."

~ * ~


	6. Chapter 6

_

* * *

Kneeling up, Aoba grabbed the back of Naruto's pants and boxers and yanked them up over his ass. With a hard tug, he pulled them off his legs and tossed them aside. "I'm pleased that you respond so well to me." _

_Naruto snorted. "That's one way of putting it." _

_Aoba grabbed the hem of his white t-shirt and yanked it over his head. Staring down at Naruto, his gaze narrowed and hot, he opened the button to his jeans and lowered the fly releasing the rigid curving shaft of his cock. He reached down to stroke himself slowly. "I'm pleased because I want you to cum when I fuck you." _

_**

* * *

Six

* * *

  
**_

Hazy with lust, Naruto looked up at Aoba from between his splayed knees. The sunlight brought out the blue in his hair and warmed his pale skin to rich cream. Anticipation clenched at the base of his balls.

Aoba reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small corked bottle. His gaze locked with Naruto's, he uncorked the bottle and filled his palm with thick golden oil. He closed his hand around his shaft and stroked, coating his cock from head to base. His lids drooped over his black eyes and he licked his lips. He leaned forward to arch over Naruto, supporting himself on one palm. "I'm pleased because I don't want you to cum any other way." His other hand moved down to circle Naruto's anus. "Open for me."

Naruto pushed outward.

Aoba's slick finger slid in deep and swirled around, oiling Naruto's interior and pressing lightly against that spot deep inside.

Electric sparks of delight made Naruto shudder and moan, but it wasn't enough. He pushed up on his heels to bring more pressure against Aoba's finger.

Aoba withdrew his finger to add a second finger, and then a third, continuing with his far too light touches against that deliciously electric place.

Naruto writhed in trembling frustration. "Enough teasing! Fuck me damn it!"

Aoba flashed him a smile. "I love it when you beg." He with drew his hand and pulled Naruto's legs up over his spread thighs. He reached down and positioned his cock at Naruto's entrance.

Naruto blinked up at him. "You don't want me to turn over?"

Aoba leaned over to grip Naruto's shoulder with his free hand. "This time, I want to watch you cum." He surged in with a grunt of effort.

Naruto pushed out hard to receive Aoba's cock. The sudden entry ached, he still wasn't used to being filled there, but it was almost immediately drowned under the brutal electric stab straight to that spot. Stars exploded behind his eyes. He arched back and released a hoarse cry.

Aoba groaned and pulled back only to surge back in even harder, burying himself to the balls. "Mother night, you feel so fucking good."

Naruto locked his heels behind Aoba's back, grabbed onto his shoulders, and rocked to feel Aoba's rigid shaft move inside him rubbing deliciously against that spot. He groaned and rocked again. "More, harder, please…!"

Aoba sucked in a sharp breath. "Shit…" He withdrew to slam in, then again and again, harder and faster until his hips slapped loudly against Naruto's ass. Sweat ran down both their bodies.

Aoba stopped and grabbed Naruto by the upper arms. "Wait…" He rocked backwards, falling back into the grass and pulling Naruto up to sit atop him.

After rearranging his feet so that his knees straddled Aoba's hips, Naruto blinked down at his lover.

Aoba lifted his knees, bracing his booted heels on the ground, then grinned up at Naruto. "Ride me."

"Okay…" Naruto sat up and felt the cock within him slide even deeper than before. "Oh…" He sucked in a breath and rocked in sheer reaction.

Aoba arched under him and groaned. "Yes, good." He smiled. "More."

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He leaned back until the cock within him pressed up right against that delicious spot, then reached back to grab onto Aoba's thighs to brace himself. Using his knees, he arched up and slid back down. Pleasure, hot and electric burned deep in his balls and spread throughout his hips and up his spine. "Fuck…!" He rose and fell again, a little faster and harder.

Beneath him, Aoba grunted and thrust upward to meet him.

A lightning bolt of pleasure flared low and deep, filling Naruto with shooting sparks of ecstasy. His eyes closed from the intensity and he choked out a hoarse cry.

Aoba's hands grabbed onto his hips and urged him upward. "Gods, don't stop!"

Naruto had no intention of stopping. He lunged up and crashed down to meet Aoba's upward thrusts over, and over, and over…blinded by the raw carnal pleasure flaring within him. He barely heard the soft choking cries coming from Aoba's throat, or felt the fingers digging into his hips.

Aoba arched up under him gasping. "Shit… I'm coming…!"

Naruto opened his eyes and looked down at his lover's pink-stained face, his parted lips spilling moans of desperate pleasure, the hooded black eyes dilated wide to utter darkness. His body strained upward, the muscles standing out in stark relief and gleaming with sweat.

It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

The violently hard cock inside him pulsed and wet heat spurted inside him. Naruto started. _Aoba's cum…_ His balls clenched and something hot and painfully carnal detonated inside him. Lightning exploded deep in his ass and shot up his spine forcing a howl from his throat. Liquid delight raced up through his swollen cock to spatter hot and steaming all over Aoba's belly and chest.

Aoba panted but smiled. "I didn't even have to touch your dick that time."

Naruto sucked in a few deep breaths then wiped the stray hair from his sticky brow. "Guess not." He felt the gentle slide of Aoba's cock withdrawing from within and rolled off his lover and into the grass beside him.

Aoba leaned up on one elbow. "Naruto, come with me."

Naruto took a deep breath then sighed. He was thrilled that Aoba wanted to take him, but it just wasn't possible. "I can't."

Aoba frowned. "Why not? I have a private townhouse in the city. I can support us both."

Naruto looked over at the beautiful young man. "Aoba, can you keep a secret? One that might get you killed if you know it?"

Aoba's eyes widened, then he glanced away. "How dangerous is this secret?"

Naruto smiled. It was the right question to ask. "It's safe to know as long as you don't share it with anyone but those you trust your life with."

Aoba looked over at him. "All right."

Naruto sat up and folded his legs under him, completely unconcerned with his nudity. "I'm a ninja from the village Hidden in the Leaves, Konoha. My full name is Naruto Uzamaki."

Aoba blinked. "Naruto Uzamaki…_Tempest _from the house of_ Spiral_?" Abruptly, he shook his head. "Wait, you're a _ninja_?"

Naruto nodded. "I'm on a training trip with my master, a Sannin." He rose to his feet and collected his pants from the grass. He pulled a small sealed scroll from his pants then walked back over to Aoba's side and offered it to him. "If you ever get into trouble or feel that your life is in danger, this will summon a toad. He'll carry either a spoken or a written message to me. No matter where I am in the world, I will come to you."

Aoba sat up and eyed the scroll with obvious doubt. "A toad…?"

Naruto grimaced. "They can be chatty, so be prepared."

Aoba took the scroll and looked over at Naruto with wide eyes. "A _talking_ toad?"

Naruto grinned and shrugged. "They're ninja toads."

Aoba gave Naruto a cooked smile. "I'm sorry, but I'm having a hard time believing you're a ninja."

Naruto snorted. "I get that a lot." He lifted his brow. "I can prove it of you like?"

Aoba crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin. "Yeah, okay. Prove it."

"Okay." Naruto got up and pulled on his pants. He pulled up his fly and looked over at Aoba. "You better put your pants on too, unless you're okay with others seeing you that way?"

Aoba blinked. "Others? Uh, okay…" He got up to grab his pants and put them on with haste.

Naruto flew through the hands signs to summon a shadow clown.

An exact duplicate of Naruto wearing only the blue pants wavered into being. The summon waved at Aoba. "Hi there!"

Aoba sat down hard on his butt. "Two of you?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nah, he's just a clone made from _chakra_ energy." He faced the clone and dropped into his wide-legged fighting stance his fists up. "Ready?"

The clone echoed his stance. "Sure!"

Naruto narrowed his gaze. "Strictly hand to hand, no weapons, and nothing explosive or terrain damaging. He's a civilian."

The clone nodded. "Bare-hands and feet only. Got it. No problem."

Naruto charged toward the clone.

The clone met him head on.

Fists and feet flew in lightning fast exchanges peppered with high flips and mid-air twists that landed them perpendicular on the trunks of trees only to bounce off and exchange more blows in mid-air.

Aoba watched with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

Naruto slammed a hard head-butt to his clone.

The clone curled his lip in annoyance. "Cheater!" He popped and poofed out of existence leaving a small cloud of gray smoke.

Wiping sweat from his arms and brow, Naruto walked back over to Aoba. "Believe me now?"

Aoba blinked and closed his mouth. "I can't believe I seduced someone that could kill me that easily." He blew out a breath and scraped his hand through his long hair.

"Well, let's put it this way…" Naruto flopped down to sit on the grass and smiled. "It's a good thing I_ liked_ it."

Aoba gave Naruto a shaky smile. "No kidding." He nibbled on his bottom lip. "I don't suppose I could _buy_ you from your master?"

Naruto snorted out a laugh. "It's been tried before, believe me."

Aoba's lips curved into a grin. "That I _do_ believe." He reached out to cup Naruto's cheek. "You're a very beautiful boy." He pulled his hand away. "Practically irresistible."

Warmth filled Naruto's face at the compliment. He looked up at the vibrant blue sky. "My master says he won't sell me because he doesn't want them hunting him down to give me back once they figure out how much trouble I really am."

Aoba chuckled. "I doubt you'd give me any trouble."

Naruto winced. "Oh, you'd be surprised…" He looked at Aoba with deep seriousness. "Trouble follows me, Aoba. Serious trouble. I don't want that to ever come to you."

Aoba looked away. "I'm not exactly trouble-free myself." He looked over at Naruto and smiled. "So, is being a ninja the only thing you ever wanted to be?"

Naruto smiled. "Yep! It's my whole life."

Aoba's smile faded. "I really can't take you with me, can I?"

Naruto shook his head, his smile fading too. "I wouldn't fit in your world, no matter how much I want to."

Aoba looked away. "I… I'm beginning to see that."

Naruto leaned close. "For what it's worth, I'm… I'm sorry."

Aoba looked at Naruto with wide dark eyes and a trembling smile. "So am I." He reached out to capture the back of Naruto's head. "I'll never see another autumn without thoughts of you."

Naruto felt tingling in his eyes and a slight burning in his nose. He reached out to comb his fingers through Aoba's long midnight hair. "Me either."

Aoba pulled Naruto into a slow sweet kiss.

They rolled over into the deep grass undressing without breaking their kiss. The kisses moved down throats, across chests, down bellies and onto thighs. Naruto was more than pleased to discover how to make Aoba moan with his mouth around Aoba's cock, and exactly where his fingers needed to be inside Aoba's ass to make him scream.

~ * * * ~

The mountain sky was a deep twilight blue when they finally dressed and Aoba climbed back up on his horse. He leaned down with his arm out to Naruto.

Naruto pressed a kiss to his mouth then swung up behind him. He hugged Aoba's back and tucked his nose into Aoba's shoulder, breathing deep of Aoba's sweaty, musky scent.

The buckskin cantered out of the maple grove carrying them with long easy strides, a far cry from their earlier mad pace. In silence, they rode down the dirt logging road and onto the cobblestone streets of the town.

At the door of his inn, Naruto slipped from the saddle. He clasped Aoba's hand tight. "Don't forget, if you need me, use the scroll."

Aoba nodded, his eyes wide, his mouth tight. He loosed Naruto's hand to grab the blonde's bright hair and dragged him close for a hard fast kiss.

Naruto kissed him back with everything he didn't dare say. He stepped back, his throat too tight to speak a word.

Aoba stared at him, eyes gleaming with moisture. A single tear slipped from the corner of his eye. He rammed his heels into his horse's sides and galloped away, fading into the deep shadows between the tall wooden buildings.

Naruto turned and walked up the stairs, taking deep breaths to ease the painful tightness in his chest. He knew good and well, that he could never have been part of Aoba's life, but that didn't stop his heart from hurting any less.

Jiraiya was already in the room, seated at the table with one of his scrolls spread out across his side of the table. He didn't look up. He pointed his writing brush at the plastic bag on Naruto's side of the table. "Shower. There's raman take-out when you're done."

Naruto smiled at his master's painfully obvious attempt to cheer him up with his favorite food. Unfortunately, his throat was still too tight to speak a word, even in thanks. He grabbed his blue _yukata_ and went into the bathroom.

The hot shower felt good on his itchy skin, and even better on his sore ass, but it did nothing for the ache in his heart. However, it was wonderfully convenient for pretending that the moisture dripping down his cheeks had nothing to do with tears.

By the time he left the bathroom, he felt wrung out and empty. He flopped into his chair and pulled out the first of three bowls of take-out raman.

Jiraiya didn't look up from writing in his scroll.

Naruto ate in the comfortable silence. The steaming noodle and beef soup felt like heaven on his tongue and nirvana to his empty stomach. By the time he finished his third bowl, the world had moved somewhat back onto its proper course.

~ * ~


	7. Chapter 7 End

_

* * *

The hot shower felt good on his itchy skin, and even better on his sore ass, but it did nothing for the ache in his heart. However, it was wonderfully convenient for pretending that the moisture dripping down his cheeks had nothing to do with tears. _

_By the time he left the bathroom, he felt wrung out and empty. He flopped into his chair and pulled out the first of three bowls of take-out raman. _

_Jiraiya didn't look up from writing in his scroll. _

_Naruto ate in the comfortable silence. The steaming noodle and beef soup felt like heaven on his tongue and nirvana to his empty stomach. By the time he finished his third bowl, the world had moved somewhat back onto its proper course. _

_**

* * *

Seven

* * *

  
**_

Winter came and thick snow coated the entire town with white. Naruto continued to use a clone to cut trees while he practiced the various exercises that Jiraiya gave him. His _chakra_ control improved, but he found it difficult to smile, even at Jiraiya's drunken antics.

On his occasional trips into town, he was approached by several young ladies and more than a few young men. Despite the slight interest his body sometimes showed, he left them all with an apology and a wistful smile.

However, in the depths of the night his body made its hunger known through dreams and fantasies of long silky black hair and moon-pale skin. After a particularly long late-night shower, Naruto passed Jiraiya's _futon_ mattress with the intent to crawl into bed.

Jiraiya opened his eyes and looked up at him. He folded his arms behind his neck. "You're taking a lot of awfully long showers, kid."

Naruto's face heated. He turned away and dropped onto his futon. He pulled the covers up to his neck and folded his arms behind his neck to stare up at the slanted ceiling. "Couldn't sleep."

Jiraiya snorted. "I could tell by all the moaning right before you got up to take that last one."

Naruto winced. He hadn't realized that he was moaning out loud in his sleep.

Jiraiya took in a deep breath. "I've been meaning to ask you…"

Naruto shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it!"

Jiraiya sighed. "Sorry kid, but this is actually kind'a important."

Naruto took in a breath and braced himself for something he just knew was going to be painfully embarrassing. "What?"

Jiraiya sat up and leaned over to collect his long-stemmed pipe from beside him. _Chakra_ flared and a small flame danced on Jiraiya's fingertip. He lit the pipe with several strong puffs then blew out a stream of smoke. The scent wasn't like that of Jiraiya's usual tobacco; it was sweeter, and thicker. "I need to know, if your prince fucked you, or you fucked him." He shook his hand to put out the flame.

Naruto closed his eyes and cringed. "Does that _really_ matter?"

Jiraiya shifted to sit cross-legged and propped one elbow up on his knee to take a puff from his pipe. "It tells me why you're having problems."

Naruto looked over at him. "Problems?"

Jiraiya drew on his pipe and blew out more smoke. "Look, I'm not going to tease you about it, so just answer the question."

Naruto took a deep breath and felt his head go a little dizzy from the thick smoke. "He…did me."

Jiraiya nodded. "That first time, did you cum in his hand, in his mouth, or while he fucked you?"

Naruto writhed in embarrassment. He did not want to have this conversation with his perverted porn-novelist master. "Is this gonna show up in one of your books?"

Jiraiya snorted. "I wasn't planning on it. Do want me to write one like that for you?"

Naruto threw an arm up over his eyes. "Gods, no!"

"So…" Jiraiya blew out another stream of smoke. "Did you cum in his hand, in his mouth, or while he fucked you?"

Naruto dropped his arm. It had gotten almost too heavy to hold up. "While he um…did me."

"Hmm…" Jiraiya tapped his pipe on the ashtray that never left his side. "You've played with him more than just the once, I assume?"

Naruto's thoughts frayed at the edges. It felt like he was on the edge of sleep, but he could make out what Jiraiya was saying clearly. Oddly, he didn't feel quite so reluctant to answer him. He looked over at his master. "I met him on the mountain before he left."

"I see." Jiraiya released another stream of the pungent smoke. "Was he able to make you cum without touching your dick at all?"

Naruto frowned. "Yeah."

Jiraiya winced just a tiny bit, and his fingers clenched on his pipe. "When you masturbate, are you stimulating…inside, to get off?"

Naruto couldn't stop his mouth from answering. "Yes."

Jiraiya dropped his head between his knees. "Crap."

Naruto flinched. "Is that…bad?"

Jiraiya lifted his head and sighed. "No, it's not bad. Masturbation is one of things everyone does. It comes with having a healthy sex drive." He drew on his pipe and blew out a stream of smoke then looked over at Naruto. "He asked you to go with him, didn't he?"

Naruto pulled his covers up to his nose. His throat tightened making his voice a little breathless. "I couldn't go. I'm going to be _hokage_."

Jiraiya sighed and spoke in a low whisper. "For once I'm glad you have a once-track mind."

Naruto looked over at him. "What?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "Never mind…" He turned sideways to lean over Naruto and captured his gaze. "I need you to remember something really, really important, okay?"

Naruto sucked on his bottom lip. "Okay."

Jiraiya smiled. "Sex is a skill just like any other. Just because someone can make you cum, does _not_ mean they love you; only that they want you to like being fucked by them."

Naruto's eyes widened and his heart lurched in his chest. "You don't think…?"

Jiraiya shrugged slightly. "For what it's worth, I think your little prince actually cared for you." He lifted his finger warningly. "But that doesn't change the fact that he deliberately trained your body to need something up your ass to get off, preferably his dick."

The warm burn of anger made Naruto's jaw clench and his eyes narrow. He'd been _manipulated_? Suddenly, the image of Aoba's face and the tear that escaped his eye before he rode away filled Naruto's mind. His anger faded. "He wanted me to be with him that much?"

Jiraiya sat up and put out his pipe. "As I said before, I think he actually had feelings for you; enough to _make_ you want him." He turned to face Naruto. "Just be aware that what he did was a manipulation technique, and it's a common one. Courtesan ninja, both male and female specialize in using sex to make people want to give up their secrets, but civilians do it too."

Naruto frowned. "Civilians…?"

"Oh yeah, but their motives are usually simpler." Jiraiya laid back down on his futon and pulled up the blanket. "Civilians tend to use sexual manipulation merely to make you want to spread your legs anytime they want a piece of ass." He turned to look at Naruto. "Your prince was a civilian too, remember?"

Naruto looked back up at the ceiling. "I remember." How could he forget?

Jiraiya folded his arms behind his head. "All I'm really saying kid, is don't fall in love with the next hard dick that flips your switch, okay?" He looked over at Naruto and smiled. "Make sure they actually care for you first."

"Great…" Naruto rolled his eyes. "How the heck am I supposed to know that?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Easy. Love is when the _other person's_ happiness comes first. To the point that they'll give them up rather than make the one they love unhappy."

Naruto's eyes opened wide. He'd given Aoba up because being together would have put Aoba in danger, and Aoba had given him up because it was what Naruto wanted. If Jiraiya was right, then… _Aoba actually…loved me?_

And he had loved Aoba right back.

Pain, large, raw, and overwhelming bloomed in his chest_._ He sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes tight, but couldn't quite stop the tears from leaking out. He flipped over onto his stomach to shove his face in the pillow and took deep gasping breaths to keep back the sobs that wanted to burst free.

~ * * * ~

Spring arrived with dripping ice, snow-melt choked rivers, and flash floods. The cherry and sakura trees on the lower slopes began to bloom. Naruto eyed the pale pink blooms with a strange longing.

Late one afternoon, he arrived at the inn to find Jiraiya seated in his usual place at the table reading his paper with a large brown paper-wrapped bundle in front of him, on Naruto's side of the table.

The white-haired toad sage looked up with a smile and patted the bundle on the table. "Here's your new outfit for tomorrow."

Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Tomorrow?"

Jiraiya nodded. "The passes are clear. It's time to go."

Naruto felt a hard kick in his heart and blinked at the sudden burning in his eyes. "Oh."

Jiraiya leaned back in his chair and lit his long, silver stemmed pipe. "I thought a trip home would do us both some good."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Home? You mean…Konoha?"

Jiraiya puffed on the pipe, but watched Naruto from the corner of his eye. "Ready to see your friends again?"

Naruto felt his mouth widen into a grin he hadn't worn in a long time. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Jiraiya waved his hands at the package. "Had that made for our trip home."

Naruto tore open the paper to see orange glaring out at him. He sucked in a short breath and enthusiastically ripped the package the rest of the way open. A padded jacket of subdued orange with black shoulders and sleeves marked with red spirals fell into his hands. Beneath it was a pair of matching calf-length pants and a couple of black t-shirts marked with red Uzamaki spirals. Naruto hugged the orange outfit to his chest and grinned at Jiraiya. "It's perfect."

Jiraiya smiled and pointed his long pipe at Naruto. "You know you're gonna have to train harder on stealth with that glow in the dark ensemble."

Naruto nodded with enthusiasm. "I'm on it master!"

"Good!" Jiraiya rose from his chair. "There's rice in the cooker for dinner after you take a shower. Get some sleep, we leave early tomorrow." He walked to the door and pulled on his ankle sandals.

Naruto eyed his master. "Where are you going?"

Jiraiya pulled his telescope from his workpants pocket and waved it in Naruto's direction. "Oh, out to the public bath house for a little _Icha Icha_ research." He turned to grin at his apprentice. "Don't bother waiting up for me!"

Naruto scowled at his master. "Damn it, you…you _ero-sennin_ pervert!"

Jiraiya laughed and ducked out the door.

~ * * * ~

The next morning at the crack of dawn, Naruto closed the door to their room and followed Jiraiya out of the inn and onto the silent misty streets. Once they reached the forest proper, they bounced at high speed from tree branch to tree branch on _chakra_-infused feet, then from crag to crag up the mountain. They reached the chilly wind-swept pass at the top of the mountain just as the sun reached high noon.

Naruto turned to take one last look at the town of Flute, wondering if he'd ever see it again.

Behind him, Jiraiya shouted and slapped the ground with both hands. Power flared.

Naruto turned and blinked.

Crouched in the middle of the pass was a deep green toad with bright orange markings that was roughly the size of a medium-sized elephant. He carried a long sword in his bright blue sash marking him as a ninja toad. Strapped to his back was a bright yellow box-like saddle contraption with two seats, one before and one behind. It looked a lot like something that belonged on a carnival ride. The toad eyed Jiraiya. "Where to?"

Jiraiya waved toward Naruto. "Up to giving us a lift to Konoha, Master Godo?"

The toad looked over at Naruto and nodded. "Sure, I can do that."

"Great!" Jiraiya pulled himself up into the forward seat of the box-saddle. He turned to look over at Naruto. "Ready to go home?"

Naruto nodded and climbed into the seat behind Jiraiya.

Master Godo rose up on his webbed feet. "Fasten your seatbelts boys. This is going to be a _very_ bumpy ride!"

Naruto looked down and sure enough, there really were seatbelts. He clicked his around his hips. "I'm good."

Jiraiya waved his hand. "Ready when you are, Godo!"

"Here we go…!" Master Godo bellowed out a deep croak and lunged high and far in a leap that carried them fully halfway down the other side of the mountain. He leaped again toward the distant forest below. _Chakra_ power flared around the toad's webbed feet. The toad landed on the very tops of the trees without even bending them and launched himself again, and again. Lakes passed under his feet with barely a ripple. The wind of their passing whipped Jiraiya's white hair behind him.

Gripping the sides of the saddle box, Naruto turned all the way around and watched Sleeping Troll Mountain retreat into the misty distance. When the mountain completely disappeared from view, he turned back around and looked forward.

He wasn't sure how long this trip was going to take. Master Godo didn't leap quite as far as the monstrous grandfather toad, Gambunta, but they were seriously sizeable leaps just the same. Sooner or later, the forest of Konoha would appear before him and he didn't want to miss his first glimpse of it.

~ End ~


End file.
